Champagne Darling ?

We all love it.  How could you not?  And if you don't, I am unsure what we have in common, the biggest difference being our bank balances.  Herein lies the BIGGEST issue I have with champagne.  I just can not afford to drink it as much as I would like.

Well, the folks at Champagne Darling? may have given us a little assistance in enjoying this delectable drop more regularly, even if only slightly, by sourcing and importing the products themselves from smaller, boutique houses.
What you then get is an opportunity to not only try houses you are unfamiliar with but get a serious increase in you 'bang for buck' as far as quality goes.  OK, it is still not cheap, but you certainly have some good options that come in under the $100 mark.

The list is not limited to Champagne, with healthy representation from the other majors regions like Burgundy and Bordeaux and a good dose of the rest of the globe, including Oz.  OH YEAH.... they also have an 'off premise' license so you can take stuff home at a discounted price.

What we have here is a family business, and they fly the flag high about the fact, but you get engaged and informative service from the team that obviously have a strong relationship with wine.
The food, designed for bubbles, is mostly hors d'œuvre yet there is capacity for main course as well.  These guys are one of the few places that stock a favourite treat of mine,  a simple smoked salmon from the master, Tom Cooper, a tazzie fellow that creates the tastiest strips of the fishy world.  A fair amount of the fare does end up a little on the oily side if you do like I did and order everything on the menu.

Must haves are the Launois Champagne and the smoked salmon, of course.  All else is just icing on the cake.

I really think this is a great option for something different, not over the top night out, that still can support a wine list that can excite.  Even you Melbournian's may not have heard about these guys. 

14.5 / 20